Many churches are filled with metaphorical mines, mostly theological, but sometimes of other sorts. But today at Qasr al-Yahud, the traditional site of Jesus' baptism, I saw a church with real ones.

The Jordan River at this point is the boundary between Israel and Jordan. Elsewhere the border comes further eastwards. Now that there is peace between Israel and Jordan, the site is open, and so we were a mere 15 feet or so from Jordan (the country, on the other side of the river).

As a student took my picture, a white dove landed. Please don't read anything into that, as any attempt to do so would involve entering a minefield, even if only a theological one.